OrionLX

Fewer Boxes and Less Setup

Relay Integration, Automation, HMI, and NERC CIP Secure Gateway in One Easy to Use Box

The OrionLX Substation Automation Platform is designed with a Linux operating system, more powerful processors for an expanded range of substation automation applications, and comprehensive Cyber-Security functions for meeting NERC CIP requirements. Configuration of the OrionLX – including the points read from IEDs, the points presented to SCADA, Math and Logic, and special functions for Sequence of Events, Alarm Annunciation and Distribution Automation – is accomplished using NovaTech Communications Director (NCD), the same license-free tool used to configure other Orion models. NCD eliminates nearly all register entry and typing by providing preconfigured pick lists for dozens of utility protocols and over 250 utility IEDs.

Key Features

Direct VGA Video

A rugged VGA Touchscreen Monitor is available for the OrionLX. With the OrionLX and the Direct Video option, the substation HMI PC can be replaced with a secure VGA terminal, either Touchscreen or with USB mouse/keyboard, eliminating HMI-related security concerns.

High Performance CPU

The optional OrionLX High Performance CPU provides two to three times more speed and processing power than the standard OrionLX CPU. It is intended for larger automation applications, notably transmission substation applications with large SCADA databases, extensive math and logic, many webpages and encryption and other security features implemented.

IEC 61131-3 Advanced Math and Logic

The OrionLX Advanced Math and Logic functions can now be ordered with the five IEC 61131-3 programming languages. Orion IEC 61131-3 is fully integrated in the Orion NCD (NovaTech Communications Director) configuration software.

IEC 61850

The OrionLX is available with IEC 61850 Client and GOOSE. With 61850, Orion “IED pick lists” become IED “CID” files. Points are simply dragged and dropped from a new expanding tree structure listing all available IED points. Selected 61850 IED points can be presented to any supported Slave protocol such as IEC 60870-5-101 or DNP3.

Hardware

An OrionLX can be configured with wide-range redundant power supplies, a fiber optic Ethernet port, a Multimedia Board with VGA Video Output, and any combination of RS232, RS485, and Fiber communication cards.

Software

Popular software options include “Cascaded Orion” to simplify the integration of multiple Orions, the ability to email alarms and SEL® event records, point aliasing, an open SQL Database for data archiving, “Relay Helper” to create SEL® relay picklists, “FileMover” to automatically send files to an FTP site, and many more.

The OrionLX is a multi-port automation platform. It is designed to operate all ports independently of one another. Each port can support a unique communications protocol withits own communication timing. All ports use a common database, which makes data from all ports available to any other port. The OrionLX also provides a logic processor and logging/archiving capabilities, making the OrionLX a powerful RTU. The OrionLX acquires data from IEDs and stores this data for polls by SCADA. SCADA commands are routed to the target IED for appropriate action.

The OrionLX Substation Automation Platform is designed with a Linux operating system, more powerful processors for an expanded range of substation automation applications, and comprehensive Cyber-Security functions for meeting NERC CIP requirements.

The OrionLX™ WEBserver provides open-source tools to create an unlimited variety of customized webpages. In most applications, commonality exists for IED faceplates and breaker control screens. The Indirect Addressing feature in OrionLX WEBserver reduces the effort to configure display points on pages that must be replicated many times.

NovaTech currently provides over 200 pre-engineered SEL® “point pick lists” (or “Default Files”) to simplify the process of selecting points from SEL® relays. When new SEL® relay model variations are introduced, NovaTech Engineering, or the user, creates a new Default File for that specific new relay model.

The optional OrionLX High Performance CPU provides two to three times more speed and processing power than the standard OrionLX CPU. It is intended for larger automation applications, notably transmission substation applications with large SCADA databases, extensive math and logic, many webpages and encryption and other security features implemented.

An optional Multimedia Board is now available on the OrionLX. This new expansion module includes the following ports:
a. 15-pin D-Shell VGA port.
b. Third Ethernet port (ETH2)
c. One audio port.
d. Two USB ports (USB4 and USB5).

This system demonstrates two simultaneous connections to a Form6 Control: one connection to access SCADA data and the other connection to access engineering data using ProView. The remote PC running ProView is connected via an analog dial-in phone line to the OrionLX which “passes through” ProView to the Form6. This application note details PC settings, OrionLX settings and Form6 settings to make this application work.

The Orion Automation Platform is widely applied in electric substations to perform secure monitoring, data processing and control functions. The Orion physical structure, flexible software architecture and powerful configuration software make it an ideal solution for integration and automation in wind farm substations.

The OrionLX/Orion5rL Automation Platforms are designed with access controls, intrusion protection and security logging to meet or exceed NERC CIP Cyber Security standards for critical cyber assets. The OrionLX/Orion5rL are designed to provide a migration path to upgrade the existing Orion5/Orion5r platforms to meet these new security requirements. Configuration conversions tools are provided to preserve engineering investments. This datasheet summarizes security features on the OrionLX/Orion5rL compared to the Orion5/Orion5r.

The OrionLX was specifically designed for applications in electrical substations. Its modularity and scalability enable it to be cost effective for both transmission and distribution applications. This document summarizes key design features.

Orion offers two solutions for expansion beyond the standard 17 serial ports: the software option Cascaded Orions and the network protocol option STCP. STCP, or SEL® Protocol over TCP, is designed to work with SEL relays and enables one or more expansion Orions to serve as a “port switch” or “terminal server” to a Master OrionLX. Up to 96 SEL relays can be connected using STCP. Any Orion can be used as the “port switch” Orion, and can be located local or remote to the Master OrionLX.

The OrionLX Substation Automation Platform is designed with a Linux operating system, more powerful processors for an expanded range of substation automation applications, and comprehensive Cyber-Security functions for meeting NERC CIP requirements.

This video describes the key features of the NovaTech Identity Manager (NIM) and NovaTech Connection Manager (NCM) products. NIM is a Linux-based LDAP/IPA application for managing users and passwords for OrionLXs and Schweitzer relays to the latest NERC CIP Version 5 requirements.

OrionLX DNP3 communication port redundancy allows a SCADA master with multiple front end processors or communication paths to the OrionLX to poll over a secondary path without receiving duplicate events…

This recent upgrade includes new features to simplify use, improve diagnostics, and enhance security. Highlights: New Security Points to Meet NERC CIP Version 5 These new points indicate who is logged…

Heartbleed is a security bug in an OpenSSL cryptography library, widely used to implement the Internet’s Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. This recent and much publicized vulnerability is due to…

A text string is an optional “point attribute” that can be assigned to any OrionLX database point (other point attributes include “value”, “min/max”, “online/offline status”, etc). The OrionLX provides a…

Thomas Edison’s original vision of a power grid consisted of a network of ubiquitous and independent DC power generation. Then along came the lower cost‐per‐kilowatt of Tesla and Westinghouse’s centralized…

In the past year, NovaTech has donated Orion and Bitronics products to power engineering, cyber security, and Smart Grid research projects at PennState University and North Carolina State University. Previous…

IEC 61131-3 is the international standard for programmable logic controller (PLC) programming languages and specifies the syntax, semantics and display for five languages. Multiple language support in IEC 61131-3 enables the control program developer to select the language that is best suited to a particular task.

Customizable Navigation and User-Specific Access The new configuration options allow changes to navigation and user-specific access and visibility rights. Significant new tools are now available for users to customize the…

New OrionLX Features for Substation Alarm and Event Reporting The new Alarm/Archive/Retentive Module on the OrionLX, along with the new Alias function, can be combined to create flexible alarm reports…

New Automation Platform features advanced cyber-security, more power and expanded diagnostics At the April IEEE Conference and Exposition in Chicago, NovaTech rolled out a major utility product: the OrionLX. The…

Wisconsin Public Service Case Study Please download the full Wisconsin Public Service Case Study including IED Interface Details and Substation Diagram. Customer Wisconsin Public Service Co., Green Bay, WI (UPPCO) —…

A one and a half-day course to provide instruction in the specification, configuration, application, and real-time monitoring of the OrionLX / LXm automation processor. Students will be introduced to OrionLX / LXm hardware and firmware options and their various uses and applications.

A one and a half-day course to provide instruction in the specification, configuration, application, and real-time monitoring of the OrionLX / LXm automation processor. Students will be introduced to OrionLX / LXm hardware and firmware options and their various uses and applications.

The OrionLX or LXm can serve as a NERC CIP secure substation gateway. Orion connects to substation meters, event recorders, distributed I/O, protective relays and other substation IEDs using any combination of RS232, RS485, Fiber or Ethernet connections and over 30 available IED protocols.

A webinar covering the five Math and Logic toolkits in IEC 61131-3: Ladder Diagram, Structured Text, Function Block Diagram, Sequential Function Chart, Instruction List, and how each application should be used.

A webinar centered around the Orion WEBserver HMI. Covering and demonstrating the use of standard webpages in the OrionLX, examples of customized OrionLX webpages, and also pre-formatted webpages in OrionLX.

Direct Video for OrionLX is the revolutionary new capability that enables users to cut substation hardware costs, meet emerging NERC CIP security standards, and to accomplish additional “PC” tasks with the Orion Substation Automation Platform. The innovative OrionLX Multimedia Board allows for greater connectivity and substation hardware versatility by cutting out the need for a hardened substation PC. For the first time, Orion WEBserver graphics can be created and served directly from the OrionLX to the substation display monitor, while maintaining NERC CIP compliance.

The webinar will highlight features designed to improve substation automation through the use of Direct Video for OrionLX and Orion WEBserver HMI.